The Kids Aren't Alright
by agoodcupoftea
Summary: Following Generation Desenchantee. Rated "M" for partially depicted child abuse/ realistic violence. Very light cross with Savers and YuGiOh in last chapter; not enough to be called a Cross-over, though. Complete now.
1. Damaged

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, and sadly, I don't own The Offspring, "The Kids Aren't Alright", Plummet, "Damaged" or…anything except a huge cassette/CD collection, the entire Shaman King manga, and some random shit that only means anything to me. I rent.. Property values: 0!

Warning: Realistic violence (child/partner abuse) Cynicism, depressing, my usual.

Timeline: Right after my other fic, "Generation Desenchantee", which despite the title, is in English. If this is the first one of mine you've read, you are going to be very lost. At least read GD, it's a one-shot. Yeah, I know, I'm starting another one, but this one will only be about three chapters or so.

Chapter 1-Damaged

Izumi sighed as she lay against Junpei's non-wounded side on the hospital bed.

"Why don't you just tell someone?"

She turned to him with desperate eyes, "There's help for this, you know!"

Junpei pulled her in closer with the arm he had around her, "I-…"

"You what?"

_I hate seeing that look in your eyes. Especially if I'm the cause of that. I'm in love with you. I love you. I'm 12, you're 11, I know all of that…I can't say it, though. I'm not supposed to see the rest of my life with someone. I doubt you do. I don't want to…_

"I don't want to lose you," he said aloud, "before, maybe still, maybe it's my fault, I don't know-"

"Don't say that!" Izumi's voice broke, ""It isn't your fault!"

"Well, it's why I never said anything before."

"But you can now. The people here can-"

"Put me in the system, and I'll lose you, and everyone else. Either way, I'm being selfish."

Izumi knew the tales of the system, "and either way, it's a house, not a home."

"Sometimes, I think it's for the best about Riko."

"Your sister who died at the age of three."

"And that's why I didn't tell Kouji that day at the Trailmon stop. What happened to Kouichi there was miserable enough. Dying at three…"

"I understand. I thought being from the West was rough. You're more than anything, from a third-world country, where you've been, and the former Soviet, you're hardly Japanese, and you were in Kobe, in the racist Kansai region when the Hanshin disaster happened."

Junpei laughed, "Yeah, but I look Asian enough; it's not until you see my mother and hear her looking for her house goats." (Note)

"Oh my mother had those moments once, until about three years ago."

"Mum's been here for ten years now."

"Maybe she should pray to Saint Jude."

A nurse entered the room, "Junpei-kun, your mother's here."

Junpei went into full-alert mode. He looked at the bed next to him, in which a girl lay sleeping, "When she comes in, stand by the girl's bed-side, tuck her in and leave."

"But-"

"Please!"

Izumi nodded and went over to the strange girl.

A forty-something tanned woman, siclky skinny, with black hair and dark brown eyes came in in nurse's garb, a shocked look on her wrinkled face, for the real nurse was watching.

"Good night, sweetie," Izumi spoke by the sleeping girl, tucking her in and leaving.

_Good job,_ Junpei thought to Izumi, not daring to look at her.

He smiled at his mother. He knew the drill.

For one, her licence had been suspended for five weeks now, so she hadn't a job to just copme rushing from.

Two, _Shocked, my arse. Now we play the happy family game, sickly sweet as burning flesh in a Holocaust oven._

"Oh, my poor baby," she rushed over and hugged him on the wounded side. He knew she meant to do that.

"Hi Mum," he knew to smile even though she grabbed his hand and moved it, causing the intravenous needles in his veins to shift. Licence or no, she'd once been a nurse herslf. She knew what she was doing.

Izumi went to the twins room, where Ms. Kimura was flopped at the foot of Kouji's bed, body racking in sobs.

"Mum please…" Kouichi began.

"…don't cry," Kouji finished.

"But you get out on Wednesday, and the hearing isn't until next week Friday!"

"I just won't ruffle his feathers." Kouji tried to console her, "If I stay with you now, like you said…"

Ms. Kimura sat up, "Yes, he'll have me jailed for kidnapping, and you'll both be stuck in his custody….

"You maybe so anyway, I don't make much,"

"We'll find a way," Kouichi wanted to believe it, too.

"Is this a bad time?"

They turned to see Izumi,.

"No, it's fine," Kouji reassured.

"I guess you're Izumi," Ms. Kimura tried to smile. Her sons had told her their best friends, a couple, a young girl, Izumi, and more so, her older boyfriend, Junpei, had saved their lives.

Kouji was in tears as he told Kouichi and Mum the end of the story. Mum, however, said that if he had died from the shot, he would never have called out after his mother, who, unfortunately, had been the one to shoot him. That they knew, however, was to remain a secret.

Mother's intuition had told her Kouji might have feelings for this Junpei boy.

She didn't care. He was her baby; she'd love him if he was purple.

Ms. Kimura motioned Izumi near, "Izumi-chan,"

"Yes, Ms. Kimura?"

Ms. Kimura took her hands, "Just call me Adelisa. Thank you, for saving my sons' lives."

"Izumi smiled, "A-Adelisa-sama. I only called the ambulance. I guess you know about my boyfriend, Junpei. He told me to do that as he cared for Kouichi and Kouji."

"But you helped, too. I just wanted to thank you. And I want to thank him too."

Izumi inhaled sharply, "He's…here, in room 310….he got attacked that same day."

Inwardly Kouichi heaved a sigh.

Inwardly, Kouji cried for relief. He'd never dare say a word, though. He feared that his new family would shun him. Junpei was with Izumi; he liked girls, and was taken. Kouji wasn't even sure he understood this himself.

So within himself it would remain.

"I don't know what I would've done if the two of you hadn't been there," Adelisa continued, "Would anyone mind if I went to thank him?"

"You look just like your father," Maria Shibayama commented randomly.

_Who you used to hurt as we watched,_ Junpei kept to himself, _you blame him for dying, for killing Riko, as if he meant for the car to lose control. Yeah, I look a lot like him, which is why you beat me when you're under the influence, which is most of the time you're awake. _

_Every child is supposed to learn from their parents' examples. I know I have. I've learned…what to never be._

"Well, I'm going to go back to work, okay?" Maria smiled as she stood.

_I'd rather have you cracking a vodka bottle over my skull than play these games. But I'm sure you'll do that many times when I'm discharged. _"Okay, Mum, bye"

"Bye, sweetie."

She left.

Junpei closed his eyes, breathing deeply to quell the nausea that had been welling.

They passed Maria in the hall.

_Good, it's safe,_ Izumi thought.

Seeing how pretty Izumi was, Adelisa was expecting a big, strong jock-adonis…

"Junpei?" Izumi poked her head in.

"You didn't run into her….?"

"She didn't even notice us."

"Us?"

"Yeah, um, Kouichi and Kouji's mum wants to thank you."

"For what?"

Izumi sweatdropped, _Gee, nearly getting killed to save her kids, maybe? _"You'll see."

Adelisa entered the room, and needless to say, his appearance was lower standards than the kids made it seem.

_My babies have good hearts, they see past that._

Junpei sweatdropped, "Um, hi, this is an interesting first meeting."

He gestured toward the empty chair, "You can sit and rest if you'd like." The moment he saw her, he knew, she was not just overworked, she must've had a chronic illness.

"Ms. Kimura, right?"

"Oh, please, call me Adelisa," Her voice broke, "You saved my babies' lives, Junpei-kun. I- Thank you so much."

"Well, they're my friends, I did what I could, but it was the doctors and stuff who SAVED them."

A moment of silence passed.

"Are you getting custody of Kouji?" Junpei asked.

Adelisa looked down. "The boys get out Wednesday, the hearing is next week Friday. In that time-"

"I can testify."

Adelisa looked up.

"Junpei, you have enough-" She caught the look in his eye.

"I'll come too, then."

Adelisa looked back and forth, "But…"

"No buts," Junpei smiled, "they're my friends, and you strike me as a very kind person. A little too kind maybe, to do this alone.""Thank you," Adelisa fell into tears of joy.

TSUZUKU: Kouji, a prisoner-locked in the shadows of something no child should face.

Notes:

Kagi- key, yagi- goat.


	2. Dream On

Disclaimer: Digimon-A. Hongo "Dream On"- Aerosmith

Warning: Child abuse, molestation/rape (no graphics-Kouji's 11 here), you know the deal.

"_Sing with me,_

_Sing for the year_

_Sing for the love_

_And sing for the tear_

_Sing with me _

_Just for today_

_Maybe tomorrow the Good Lord'll take you away"- _"Dream On", Aerosmith

Chapter 2- Dream On

Discharge time was 10 AM, but Ms. Kimura came and took Kouichi at seven to be at her job at eight.

Both of those who were leaving were in tears, taking turns hugging Kouji and apologizing to him.

Kouji wanted so badly to cry, too. He wanted to cling to Kouichi and never let go, he wanted Adelisa to just say, "Screw it," and take him, too. Take him home.

But he knew she couldn't.

He knew it would only make things worse.

"I'll be fine. It'll just be like any other day."

"I'll just keep to myself, and avoid being alone with him."

"Maybe I'll visit Takuya or Izumi."

Knowing they could do no more, they hugged, kissed him, and left.

A half hour passed as Kouji pulled the covers over his head, turned on his side, and cried to himself.

Knock-knock, "Kouji"

Kouji peeked out from his cocoon. He'd know that awkward mid-change voice anywhere, Junpei.

"Come in."

Junpei came over to his bedside, wearing the same blood-stained green sweater with the bullet hole on the right sleeve and navy dungarees he'd worn that day.

"Kouji," Junpei put a gentle hand on Kouji's back, "are…you're not okay, are you?"

Kouji was silent, sitting there, looking down at his lap, before finally speaking, "I-I don't-I can't"

He relapsed into sobs, pulling his knees up to his chest "Help me."

Junpei sighed, "I can't tell you why, but I can't let you stay in my place."

He thought for a moment, "I could-We could sneak out of here…and stay like where I was at before."

Kouji tried his best to steady his voice, "It'll just make things worse. I can't make anything worse for Mum and Big Brother. No one can help me," he lowered his head.

Junpei gently lifted Kouji's chin so their eyes met, "I spoke to your Mum." Kouji put his hand over Junpei's as Junpei wiped the tear from Kouji's cheek, "I'm testifying against your father." _And I'm a hypocrite._

"But-I-You-No!"

"I'm testifying, and that's final."

In the Digital World, Junpei had seemed, a bit too eager to please, sure, but otherwise, he'd come off as an average pre-teen.

From the moment they'd come back, sure, he still had that voice that cracked and squeaked, but it seemed to be an even worse mismatch. Before, he'd been comical, happier, and it was passable.

Now, he seemed older, more mature, sombre, serious, and he wasn't thinking for himself at all, or he'd never come near Mr. Minamoto.

_He was __free; he wasn't in danger the way he is now. Me, too, except I didn't realize it. His mum, like my dad; they weren't there. Sure the evil Digimon were, well, evil, but we were allowed to fight back. We didn't live with them. We didn't belong to them. _

Kouji looked at the clock that hung over the door, "Dad'll be here soon. It's best if he doesn't see you before court."

"I understand, "Junpei gave him a quick hug, covering the back of Kouji's head with his hand, as if to shelter him.

"You're a very strong person, Kouji; I need you to remember that."

Junpei got up to leave, but he paused at the door, "You have my number, so if you need anything, or just want to talk. Anytime at all, okay?"

"Thanks" Kouji smiled softly.

As Junpei left Kouji began to think.

_I do have feelings for him. I wonder how he feels about me…No, he's with Izumi, he had his heart set on her for a really long time, ever since they went off together that first time. _

_He reminds me of a penguin, he wants __one person, to have forever. _

_Now, Takuya__, I could see as a player. Even Izumi, she was always hugging on Takuya and me, which, I have that old-school phobia of being touched by the opposite gender, but Takuya or Junpei were pretty much her pick._

_If she wasn't so damn bubbly, I would totally be friends with her, but, well, I just hope she realizes how lucky she is._

"Kouji!" Mr. Minamoto's voice broke Kouji out of his mind as clean clothes were thrown at him.

Everything was fine until they got to the parking lot.

Mr. Minamoto grabbed Kouji's wrist and wrenched it, "I thought I told you to STAY AWAY FROM THEM! I have COURT because of YOU!"

Kouji grit his teeth and remained silent as his father slapped him hard in the face.

He opened the door. "Get in the car," he shoved Kouji into the back seat.

The silence was deafening.

Kouji lay awake on his bed, later that afternoon, glad that he'd been confined to his room.

A knock came at the door, "Kouji?" his stepmother, Satomi, called.

Kouji came to the door, "Is he still at work?"

"Yes, dear."

Kouji opened the door, "Good, I wanted to talk to you anyway."

They sat facing each other on the floor.

Kouji took a breath, "You told me why you're always shaking. You have multiple sclerosis. My mother has type 1 diabetes. Mum left him because he was beating her, but he sweet-talked the court into keeping me.

"One of the first things I remember was him breaking my arm when I was four, when we were living in Fukushima.

"He wants me to be like him, a revolting macho man. Truth is, I think I have feelings for an older GUY.

"Anyway, I would never call you as my mother, even when I thought Mum was dead, because I don't want you getting attached.

"I've heard you scream when you think I'm asleep. I know you didn't fall of a ladder that one time, you're too afraid of heights to climb one.

"He's a good talker, he should be in politics. He'd fit right in. The pattern I see, he looks for easy, vulnerable marks, traps them, and abuses them to make himself feel better. He's that ill."

Satomi was in grim awe, "Yes, you're right. Everything you just said, even though you're too young to have to.

"Problem for me is…I'm already trapped. It started when I moved in, before we even got married.

"You're the one who needs to get out of here. You're the one who has a chance-"

Her eyes caught the clock, "I have to have the laundry finished, or now you do know what."

She hugged Kouji, and he let her.

"I hope your mother does get custody of you, you deserve better than this."

"So do you," Kouji told her as she left.

Kouji hadn't been allowed dinner, so he fell asleep around eight, only to be awoken by a bucket of scalding water poured on him.

"AAH!"

Mr. Minamoto leered evilly down at his son, one hand behind the doorframe, and yanked Satomi into the room, as she stumbled with the sudden motion.

"Do what I told you!" he commanded.

"No. Please, Kousei, don't-" Satomi sobbed fearfully.

In one quick motion, Kousei removed his belt, smacking Satomi's back with it.

"Leave her out of this!" Kouji cried as Satomi fell down.

Kouji had been here before, when they were living in Shinjuku, near the red-light district, except in Satomi's place were various prostitutes.

How nostalgic.

Kouji wondered as Kousei harshly ripped Kouji's pants to shreds, clean off his body, if it ever clicked in Kousei's head that Kouji had already gone through puberty.

Satomi stood, shakily, "He's just a child! I can't-"

Kousei smacked her face with the belt, "You are just a woman! Learn your place! YOU WILL DO AS I TELL YOU!!!!!!"

"It's okay," Kouji said barely audible.

She knew from his tone, he'd been here before.

Kousei ripped Satomi's shirt down the middle, exposing her womanly chest.

"That's better," Kousei smiled sadistically as he sat at Kouji's desk, turning to face them, whip raised threateningly, "begin…"

_Damn_, Kouji thought to himself the next day in the bathroom, _did_ _he have to make her bite me?_

Not to mention his skin was blistered from the impromptu boiling shower.

He had fallen asleep immediately following…that. He needed to stay strong

_Now I could really use some help…_

"_You have my number, so if you need anything, or just want to talk. Anytime at all, okay?"_

Even the fresh clothes he was wearing were painful against his skin. Not to mention he could barely stand.

He heard pounding, angry footsteps.

He grabbed his mobile, climbed the window ledge…

…and jumped two stories.

He untangled himself from the shrub that silenced his fall, only to stand to have pain shoot through his knee.

"KOUJI?!" Kousei screamed.

Kouji ran.

He took the train to Ikebukuro, Kouichi lived here.

_No, I can't_, Kouji sank on the other side of the fence he'd just climbed, _I can't get Mum involved. _

He doubled over from the pain, now that the adrenaline rush had passed, and fell into a bush as he involuntarily let out a small groan.

"Did you hear that?" came a frightened girl's voice.

"Yeah, I did," a boy answered-a familiar voice.

"I'll go check,"

That voice-Junpei?! Here?!

Kouji panicked-he couldn't let anyone see him like this! He stood- white hot pain both in his knee and his groin- and he fell.

A rustling of shrubbery.

"Kouji?!"

He felt Junpei's arms around him, pulling him up.

Junpei looked at his bare arms, "What happened to you?! Who-HE did this didn't he?"

Kouji looked down as a lump caught in his throat, "I didn't know you were here. Just forget you saw me-"

"What are you, mental?!" Junpei protested, "You need help, I'm calling an ambul-"

"No! Don't! They'll-they'll-"

Junpei put an arm around him, "I understand. Let's get off campus, and then…how about we camp out until Friday?"

Kouji looked at him in teary-eyed shock.

"I'll take that as a yes," Junpei smiled.

Hoisting Kouji onto his back, they snuck through sheds, stairwells, hid in the utility closet, ducked, and ran their way off the back of the campus and into a battered residential neighbourhood.

"Are you okay with me carrying you into town?"

_I love __it; it feels like the first nice thing that's happened to me in two days. I should be embarrassed, shouldn't I?_ "I can't really walk, so I have no choice."

In the commercial district, they located a sizeable alley behind a Chinese restaurant.

Clearing a small area, Junpei sat Kouji on the ground and picked through his school bag.

"Here we go" he revealed a white box.

"Besides your forearms, where else are your injuries?"

Kouji chuckled darkly, "My entire upper body, my knee and somewhere I shouldn't be showing anyone."

At the latter, Junpei looked off to the side, anger flashing in his eyes.

He looked back at Kouji, a far gentler expression, "Wait here, I'll take care of you."

Kouji watched him walk off. _Just my luck…I think I really like you, but your heart belongs to someone else. _He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the side of the building that propped him up.

Junpei came back with some boxes, packing tape, and a towel.

In about forty minutes, they had a cardboard hut with a cutout door.

Junpei closed the door, laid the towel down, and came over to Kouji

"Okay, we're closed in, so no one else can see you. I'd like to treat your wounds."

_But-I don't want you to have to see me like this! I'd love to be naked WITH you, but no__t when my body's so-_

Junpei noticed Kouji's blush, "Trust me, I look far worse naked any day than you possibly ever could," he smiled, which made Kouji smile.

Junpei's touch was so gentle. He cut and drained the blisters, disinfected the wounds (Okay, maybe THAT hurt a little) wrapping him in gauze and bandages from his hips to his neck.

He made a brace of sorts for Kouji's knee with an elastic bandage.

Even the abrasions on Kouji's private parts were gauzed around the shaft, with no tape touching the sensitive skin.

_Good thing that hurts so badly, _Kouji thought, as just then would be the utterly worst time to be turned on.

Kouji redressed and with his back turned, held one arm across his chest, holding himself together, and whispered, "Thank you…but why?"

He felt Junpei's big, strong arms around him, pulling him in, pulling him back together from everything that had just happened, his iron wall defenses, his tough shell had been destroyed in the Digital World, but he was happy.

But Kousei had ripped his fragile glass heart from his chest, and thrown it hard against the cold, stone walls of the prison, and it had shattered into a million pieces.

Kouichi wouldn't be strong enough to handle this.

Adelisa's hands were legally bound, and her soul was attached to an ailing body.

But, here, Junpei, just a friend, with no duty, no relation, and no obligation, was holding him, piece-by-piece risking so much himself to put back together Kouji's heart.

Kouji was 11, the younger of the two, but Junpei was only twelve himself.

Kouji could no longer expend the energy it took to resist.

He burst into tears.

Junpei and Kouji held onto each other tightly, Junpei held Kouji securely together, as Kouji held on to the only person he had.

TSUZUKU: Like the others aren't going to find them….


	3. Hold On My Heart

Disclaimer: You know I don't own Digimon, and I AM A 23-YEAR OLD FEMALE, therefore I AM NOTTTTTTTTTT Phil Collins, so "Hold On My Heart" isn't mine, either.

Warning: well, hey, you DID select "M" rated stories…

I want you to keep a few things in mind from Frontier:

Kouji's attitude in the beginning of DF. That's a little more than just having moved around a lot and losing touch with friends. Actually, if you've read my notes in my other stories, I've said it reminds me of myself, actually, age 10-13, around Kouji's age. My problem came from, yeah, I did move a lot, hell, I left Japan completely at 13, and not by choice. How Kouji is being treated by Kousei is changed from my story with my own father in that since Kousei is a homophobe, but Kouji is male, Kousei has women molest Kouji by force, as women are less likely to molest a child, but it IS possible. Oh, and my Dad was hung up on my Mum and never remarried, but he did deny my sister who lived with Mum, like Kousei denies Kouichi here.

Izumi has a crush on Takuya, but she never really ends up alone with him except in that one library scene. It also seems kind of superficial, as Takuya's supposed to be this jock-hottie, and she doesn't really get to know him one-on-one. He falls asleep on her, too. He leaves me with the impression of being barely out of the 'girls have cooties' stage, and as someone who would grow up to be a babe-chaser. She pep-talks Kouichi, but Kouichi is kind of lost, it's a girl/maternal instinct thing, I think. I've fallen for the lost act, except I don't think Kouichi was acting. She ends up with Junpei a lot; however, she probably gets skirt-chased a lot due to the white beauty thing, and thinks that's what he's doing at first. She might also be superficial, or she might think he is. Here, neither one of them are (obviously). Eventually, I'll have a oneshot of how they hooked up.

Junpei also strikes me as probably having a miserable home life, which, even more than his looks, (I also get that. I was the only Asian when I first went to school in the US, I was like 4foot7, and the kids in my grade- all WASPs were all really tall, so even my first girlfriend was one grade lower than me.) Is probably what makes his self-esteem so non-existent that he feels he has to sell himself to have anyone around, to have anyone pay attention to him in a positive matter for more than five seconds. Also, since he thinks of himself as completely worthless, he wouldn't go for a pretty face or, like, a nice ass. He would not only find, like, a cheerleader, say, completely unattainable, and just better not to try, but being that with his appearance, he would be well aware that looks don't count for much. Yeah, duh, he's attracted to her looks as well, but he probably sees something deeper.

Tomoki's parents give him whatever he wants to shut him up. Yutaka's in college, so they're older, and they probably just don't have the energy to deal with a young child. It happened w/my relatives, and it made me think, 'then why'd you even have another kid?' kind of, like, how we all know how heavily the Digimon dub was censoured, the only thing left were Junpei's crush on Izumi, and Bokomon's "pregnancy" Those were only left since there was no way around them. Everything else was edited because PARENTS WERE SITTING THEIR 5-YEAR OLDS IN FRONT OF IT!!!!!!!!! They thought, it's a cartoon, so? Like it's Mickey Mouse (who looks nothing like a real mouse!!!) That's probably how Tomoki's parents are. When Yutaka visits, he tries to help Tomoki out, but he only visits from college, so he isn't much of a deciding factor in Tomoki's life.

Chapter 3- Hold On My Heart

Kouji awoke with not only a blanket on him, but a fire burning in the middle of the hut.

"How was your nap?" Junpei asked, turning to face him.

Let's be honest, the only semi-attractive thing about Junpei at all was his fair skin tone. Plain brown short hair, plain brown eyes, light brown, but still brown, and obese, to boot.

But Kouji knew what he saw in the older boy, and the way the fire illuminated that tender face rendered Kouji speechless.

"Um, Kouji?...You okay?"

Kouji didn't even notice he was blushing.

Junpei came over and took the blanket off the slender boy and handed him a drink.

"You're over heating. Drink some juice; it'll help you feel better."

"Okay," Kouji obeyed, _The biggest heart, wise beyond your years…and yet, you don't have a clue, do you?_

Just then, Junpei's mobile rang, "It's Izumi," he explained to Kouji.

Anything Kouji would say, and it would clearly show his utter jealousy of the girl, so he silently sipped his juice as he heard Junpei's side of the conversation.

"Izumi…it's okay…she shouldn't be saying that…it doesn't matter if she's….just give me one second, I'll see if you can come here….you're right I am, and no, I'm not alone…one second."

He turned to Kouji, "Do you want to keep this a secret….or can I let Izumi join us for awhile?"

Kouji mentally kicked himself. Whatever Izumi was facing, it sounded like…

"Well, she's one of us, so I guess it's fine."

Thinking he meant about the six of them, and the Digital World, Junpei smiled earnestly, "Thank you,"

"Okay, you can come here…well, take the Yamanote line to Ikebukuro Station, and I'll wait for you at the west exit, which is the one where the sign reads "east" (Note). Okay, bye."

Hanging up, he turned to Kouji, "I don't really like leaving you here alone, but I'm not letting Izumi wander around here alone, either."

"I understand," Kouji half-smiled. "Whoever said chivalry had to be dead? I'll be fine."

"Thanks," Junpei hugged him, got up, and left.

Izumi looked at the massive throng at Tokyo's second busiest station in the middle of rush hour, of all times. How the hell was she going to find anyone?!

"Izumi!" Okay, that was better. "Izumi, over here."

He came over to her.

"How did you manage to see me?" she asked, looking up at the adults rushing home from work.

"Like I wouldn't be able to find you in a crowd."

Izumi flipped her hair back, displeased, "It's the screaming blonde hair, isn't it," she grimaced. Sometimes, she wished she went to an International school where she wasn't the only white person on campus.

"No!-I mean-well" Junpei sighed, taking her hand and looking her in the eye, "You're beautiful, and you know that. Inside and out."

"Tell my classmates and my neighbours that," Izumi smirked.

_You look like a goddess._

_You look like an angel._

_Your outer beauty is because you have a beautiful heart._

_That's why I want us to stay together for the rest of our lives._

Junpei shook his head. He couldn't tell her any of this. Half of it sounded like corny lines, and the other half, maybe he could say in a few years, if she didn't find someone semi-attractive. Or get her vision fixed.

"You don't need them," he said aloud.

"What do you mean?"

"If they're that closed minded to not accept you just because you don't look like them, then why even try? One can change oneself, but no one can change another person."

"You know," Izumi looked at him through the side of her eye as they continued down the streets, "We all changed in the Digital World, but, well, I'm seeing more and more that makes me glad I chose you."

Junpei sweatdropped, "I'm still wondering when exactly you hit your head."

"I'm being serious!" Izumi seemed…miffed.

_If he saw what we all see in him, well, then he'd be like Takuya, and I chose Junpei over Takuya for good reason._

In a bold move for an 11-year old girl, she reached up and pecked him on the cheek.

Junpei turned redder than a fire truck, and his heart definitely skipped a couple of beats.

Izumi skipped ahead, "Come on, goofball!" she giggled. Oh, she knew what she was doing, and it was fun.

"Oh-Wait up!" Junpei came back to planet Earth.

He led her to the hut.

"We're back," Junpei spoke to Kouji.

Kouji looked up from what he was doing and scratched the back of his head, "I hope you don't mind. I was bored, so I was drawing in your notebook."

They all sat on the ground, Junpei with Izumi leaning on him on one side as Kouji, on the other side, showed him the drawing.

Kouji's drawing showed himself, Kouichi, Junpei and Izumi, standing in a circle, hands joined, and the shading seemed to suggest that the centre of their circle was emitting a glowing light.

"Wow," Junpei was impressed, "that is really good!"

"Oh, my," Izumi also seemed to like it, "I had no idea you could draw like that."

"Well," Kouji shrugged, "I guess I had to be good at SOMETHING."

"Kouji," Junpei, in trying to sound stern, his voice cracked and sounded very deep, strong, and…

Momentarily, he turned bright red, hunched over, all the while knowing out of the three of them, he was the least able to disappear.

The other two looked happy…okay…

"I guess that's what your voice is going to turn into," Kouji surmised.

"Oh, my God!" Izumi squealed, hanging on his arm, "I can't wait until-"

They weren't alone.

"Never mind." Izumi promptly shut up. Looking at Kouji like he wasn't going to think of her the same.

"Me?!" Kouji pointed to himself, he laughed it would feel better to clear the air, and if Izumi didn't like it, then, oh, well.

"Junpei, as for you, Kouichi and I already had the voice thing. It's awkward now, too, because, as for me, I'm the only one in my class that doesn't squeak.

"Izumi, I don't care what kind of stuff you talk about, my father beat Satomi, made her go down on me and bite my privates. It wasn't the first time, either!"

Izumi looked horrified, Junpei looked shocked and a bit embarrassed, but Kouji had one more thing to say.

"And Junpei would probably wait for you forever, so he didn't even look to see this, but when you were coming in, I noticed that you have a bloodspot on the back of your slacks."

"Oh my God," Izumi turned to Junpei, both mortified, "How could you not notice?!"

"You having a nice figure is a good thing…but why would I be staring at your bum?"

At first Izumi was almost offended, then she realised, "You're not looking for just a pretty face…"

"Well, you just happen to be beautiful, and I'm still wondering why you chose me of anyone, but you have a lot of depth, knowledge, experience, intelligence, and, well, personality that most of the people around us…don't."

"Wow, well, those are kind of similar reasons…that I picked you…" She smiled, "You know who you remind me of?"

"All those sumo wrestlers that aren't really Japanese?" Junpei smirked.

"No, silly," Izumi play-punched his arm, "You ever seen this one anime, it's older than we are, called Detective Conan?"

Junpei thought for a second, and then shook his head, "I'm not really into a lot of the telly. Before Dad died, we used to watch black-and-white films together sometimes, but…"

Junpei looked back and forth at the two sheepishly, and Kouji took that to mean that Junpei remembered he was there.

"I found some of your writings in your bag when I took your notebook," he admitted, "I wanted to ask you if I could read them."

Junpei, blushing, put his hands up, "They-they're embarrassingly crappy…"

"Come on!"

"Pleeease!!"

Junpei sighed, He didn't want them to see, but…they were going to be upset either way.

He stood, "If yoyu really want to, I guess.I'm going to get us all something to eat. I'll be back in a few minutes."

He left. He didn't want to be there just then.

Kouji pulled the folder from the shoulder bag, and Izumi looked over his shoulder.

Some were in English?, some in some cross between, Spanish…romanised Chinese…and some in…

"Hey, this looks like the signs on Cowboy Bebop," Kouji said, confused.

"It's Russian," Izumi clarified.

"How many languages DOES he speak?" Kouji suddenly felt bad about shutting him out in the Digital World, maybe if he hadn't…no, Junpei and Izumi were together and happy with each other.

"Like, four," Izumi said, hoping she was correct.

They finally found something in Japanese, a poem, a song, perhaps?

It read:

"I've got to keep on going

Though it kills me more each day

I don't want to watch you kill yourself

But I found a reason to stay

Bright young hearts and innocent souls

I'll bury the truth, they'll never know

I've lived my life a thousand times, the darkest secrets

Of an ancient soul

(Chorous)

Burying you, burying me;

Free and alive I'll never be

I pray for light, I pray for love

Does anyone hear me above?

My love…

(Verse)

A world of hate and anger and lies

Waging wars to avoid compromise

Drive-bys, blasting guns at innocent ones

Does anyone realise what we've become…" (Note)

Kouji turned away, embarrassed, hoping Izumi didn't see him wiping his eyes. He was SUPPOSED to be a guy! Guys weren't supposed to cry unless someone was dying! (Which made crying both times in the hospital acceptable, thank you very much.)

Izumi took a deep breath, and wiped her eyes, too. Kouji probably thought she was a wuss. Then she looked at him, smiling. Aww, he was being a wuss, too!

"Okay, let's just act normal, we don't want to embarrass him," she whispered as footsteps approached.

Junpei opened the door and handed the two some rolls and fruit from the shopping bag he held.

Izumi swallowed her mouthful, "What I was saying before about Detective Conan…"

"Yes?" Junpei gave her his full attention.

"Well, the main character is a teen detective, who is drugged with a potion by an evil agency, aqnd is turned into a little boy….It reminds me of you because he's really a lot older, but appears young."

"What I'm saying is, you didn't have all the crap here to deal with in the Digital World, none of us did. All three of us here are more mature than our peers, but you-"

"Before you say anything…this is just survival skills bourne of instinct. I have to know things, and know what I'm doing, 'cause I'm pretty much on my own. Now that I have all of you, I can use what I know to take care of all of you."

"I thought we were a team," Kouji said, trying to sound impassive, "You know, all for one and one for all."

Izumi wordlessly jumped up and hugged him, her jacket long since tied around her waist to hide…yeah.

Junpei gently caressed her long golden locks, and spoke to the both of them in a soft tone as his voice switched back to a deep baritone, "Don't worry about me. I really don't want you to. All that matters to me is that the people I love are safe and happy, and I will do anything in my power to ensure that," his breath caught in his throat, and the squeaky voice came back, "Maybe it's selfish either way, but that's all I want."

Never did a cardboard hut in a dumpster alley in a bad part of town, filled with abused runaways…feel more like a home.

TSUZUKU: Kouichi's fear, a sham of a family, a trial to determine Kouji's fate, and Junpei's hypocrisy.

Notes:

In Ikebukuro station, the west exit has the character for east and vice-versa. This is a screwy world, people!

I just wrote that now for this, unlike other times where I have used my completed works. Sounds kinda Metallica-ish, huh?


	4. Decode

Disclaimer: Digimon, Paramore's "Decode" and the Offspring's "The Kids Aren't Alright" have something in common-none of them are mine! Yay!

Warning: Well, if you got through chapter 2, nothing here is any worse than that.

"Decode" was released in 2008, I'm writing this in 09, but this takes place in autumn 1994, Kouji's age group is 11, Junpei is 12, Tomoki is 8.(YOU WILL LOVE MY TIMELINE, MWAHAHA)

"_How can I decide what's right?  
When you're clouding up my mind  
I can't win your losing fight  
All the time_

__

Nor could I ever own what's mine  
When you're always taking sides  
But you won't take away my pride  
No, not this time  
Not this time

How did we get here  
When I used to know you so well?  
How did we get here?  
Well, I think I know

The truth is hiding in your eyes  
And it's hanging on your tongue  
Just boiling in my blood  
But you think that I can't see

_What kind of man that you are  
If you're a man at all" _Paramore, "Decode"

Chapter 4-Decode

Kouji mulled over Izumi's story while Junpei was fetching breakfast.

Her Catholic bible-banging mother and pot-smoking fisherman father were not getting along.

They mentioned her in their arguments.

And how it was her fault.

_Just like it was always mine._

He looked up and tried to smile when Junpei came back.

Junpei looked concerned.

He came over and put a hand on the slender boy's shoulder, "You okay?"

He looked up and smiled, but the last thing Kouji wanted to do was lie to Junpei.

"I was just thinking…about what Izumi was saying about her parents…like they say shit's her fault. Dad always says that kind of stuff to me."

Junpei gave him a hug, and Kouji had to concentrate very hard not to fall to pieces.

"I'm really glad you're here and you're my friend, Kouji, so keep that in mind.

"But the kind of parents who treat their kids like that, they should never have even had kids.

"He doesn't deserve you.

"Okay?"

"Thank you, Junpei," Kouji looked into Junpei's eyes, softness, warmth, Junpei didn't want anything from him, he knew, but he did want the best FOR him, end of story.

How weird…

…fuck normal.

This was way better.

They went to a small park in Ikebukuro 1-chome, got some tea from the vending machines, and sat down to drink.

"Let's have a toast"

Junpei smiled and raised his drink, "To friends."

"To love," Kouji added, and they enjoyed their tea as they watched the children on the playground.

A young boy was trying to pull off some gymnastics on the monkey bars, "Watch me, Dad."

"Masahiro, don't!" The father came running over as the boy slipped and fell.

The father picked the boy-roughly Tomoki's age-up in his arms, "What'd I tell you about doing dangerous stuff, sport? You okay?"

"My bum hurts," Masahiro whined.

"Well, I'll get you home, and into a nice bath, okay?"

Masahiro hugged his father, "Thanks, Dad, I love you."

The father kissed his son's forehead, "I love you, too, sweetie. Let's go."

He carried his son off.

"It could have been like that!" Kouji sobbed, and found himself wrapped in a warm embrace.

"I'll do my best to help get you to your mum. Then you'll be fine," Junpei whispered.

His voice hadn't been squeaky all day, and this new voice was so…but Junpei was in love with Izumi.

Tomoki was really having fun on this field trip. The Sunshine 60 building was so cool!

Now they got to go to the park-oh, yeah!

"It could have been like that!" a familiar voice rang out- Kouji? He sounded like he was crying.

Tomoki's first thought was to go over- he looked, Kouji and Junpei were right there-and give Kouji a big hug.

Junpei hugged Kouji, "I'll do my best to help get you to your mum. Then you'll be fine,"

Junpei's voice sounded like a grown-up, but so did Kouji and Kouichi, so hey…

Tomoki ducked behind a tree and listened.

"What did I do to deserve all those years?"

"Like I said, none of this is your fault. It's called abuse. It's his fault, completely."

"If he saw me now, he'd beat the crap out of me. He says guys aren't allowed to cry."

"Crying is a perfectly normal response to emotional pain. Let it out, it's okay," Junpei said softly, gently rubbing Kouji's back.

They stayed like that, Junpei holding Kouji, as Kouji cried his heart out.

Tomoki snuck off and back to his classmates on the playground.

Back in the hut, a 'visiting' Izumi, Junpei and Kouji were about to eat supper when Junpei's mobile rang.

"Hello?"

"Junpei-san?" Tomoki sounded like he was crying.

"Tomoki, what's wrong?"

"Well, I-I went on a field trip today…"

"Did someone hurt you?"

"No-kinda," Tomoki paused, "I mean…I was in Ikebukuro…and we went to a park, and…"

_Oh, crap._ "And what happened?"

"I-I saw you and Kouji…"

"Listen, little one-"

"No, wait…"

"Go ahead."

"I told Takuya what I heard, and-and…" Tomoki started to cry.

"Tomoki, just calm down and tell me what happened," Junpei said soothingly.

"He said it's not his problem, so he doesn't want to help, and why should I care."

_I didn't even know it was possible to think less of Takuya than I already did, _Junpei thought to himself, glancing at Kouji head hanging low, huddled by the fire.

"Well, at least you care, and we both appreciate that, Tomoki. Just one second…" he turned to Kouji.

"Um, Kouji…?"

"Mmh?"

"Tomoki…kinda saw us in the park today…"

Kouji averted his gaze, running his fingers though his untied hair, and back to Junpei.

"I...I don't know," was the awaited response. He put his hand out for the mobile.

"Tomoki?" Kouji gently asked into the reciever.

"Kouji-san, are you okay?" Tomoki sobbed as would any eight-year-old.

Kouji looked over at Junpei, who was laying out the canned tea and natto, and back to the small fire."Yeah...I'm okay."

"I've been really, really scared. You and Junpei-san and Miss Izumi all disappeared, and we've been looking for you- me and-"

Izumi tapped Kouichi's shoulder and pointed toward the entrance.

Kouji dropped the phone, eyes going wide at the sight of the boy at the door.

"Kouichi..."

Kouichi bowed his head at Junpei and Izumi, entering the hut.

"Kouji..."

He got to his knees and hugged his shocked twin, "Thank God."

Junpei ended the call on a fairly relieved note.

"-you home now!" Kouichi was in tears.

_Well, I'll give time before I disclose to you the rest..._

Junpei hushed them, a pleading expression worn.

"I can't legally be there," Kouji looked at Kouichi's hands in his own, "You know that well."

Footsteps approached, a mowhawked young male entering. "Fuckin' kids on my block?"

He sighed vocally, pulled out a lighter, and-

"OUT!" Junpei grabbed Izumi's arm in one hand, pushed Kouji's shoulder with the other, the four making it in seconds before the cardboard erupted in a rough minute of blaze, only to fall to ash.

"You-!"

Junpei stepped in front of Izumi, desperate eyes, mouthing 'no'.

He turned to the older boy and bowed formal-style.

"Please find it within to pardon us foolish children for our ignorance in not realising that this was your neighbourhood."

"Ah," The delinquent sneered, "That's better. Get the fuck outta my sight before I change my mind."

"Thank you for your wise mercy, good sir," Junpei smiled, walking off with the other three following.

They stopped under a railway over-pass.

Kouichi was astonished, "Junpei, that was the utmost self-less act I've seen. I swear I'll not breath a word _ever_."

Junpei smiled bitterly, "It doesn't bother me at all. I have about as much pride as squash.

"Kouichi?"

"Yeah?"

"It's nearing nine. I need you to listen to me."

Kouichi nodded. By Junpei's tone, he could tell the eldest had some unpleasant thing-or-other to say, and that such unpleasant thing...was also likely crucial.

"Go home to Ms. Kimura. However it was that you've been carrying yourself these past few days, you _must not_ change that now.

"Leave _no hint_ that you have any idea of our whereabouts..."

"...or..." Kouichi looked back at Kouji, who finished aloud.

"They'll take me back there."

Kouichi nodded, shared with Kouji a last bittersweet hug, and walked home.

Sitting silently in the courthouse, Junpei clasped Izumi's hand, and Izumi clasped back. On his other side was his Aunt Sayuri.

Kouji had taken opportunity of the witness stand's great height and hollowness, now hidden under it.

Sure, he'd been warned of the necessity of proof, and of making testimony to the molestation, but likely even a hundred years of mental preparation wouldn't've made it easier, really.

Kousei stood, yelling, "He's a liar! It's gone far enough, this stupid teen-age attention charade! He finds his God-damn feeble mother and he bites off the god-damn hand that feeds him!"

Junpei raised his hand and the judge motioned he speak. Looking back at Kouji, who was paralysed rather reminiscent of a deer, and Kousei, seething all but foaming rabidly, he closed his eyes.

"May I ask...from where came the old, washed out blood on the defendant's belt?"

Kousei knew in that moment that his one oversight of wearing the white fabric belt was his demise.

Kouji took a breath and slowly raised his head. The gesture enraged Kousei, "You fresh, impudent brat!"

He lunged forward for Kouji...but met Junpei's fist.

Security rushed in, Izumi, Kouji, Sayuri, Kouichi and Tomoko yelling wildly, the newborn boy in Sayuri's arms wailing as blood flew along with fists.

Two guards pulled at Junpei, prying him off Kousei, who'd inexplicably fallen, weak and frail, onto another guard.

"This whole thing," he covered his broken nose, "Is because of Kouji's criminal friends!"

Sayuri and Junpei's friends cried and shrieked in protest to no avail as the teenager was cuffed and led off.

All but Kousei and Tomoko were escorted to wait outside.

"If my child isn't removed from his custody," Tomoko spoke firm through a voice gritted with choking sobs, "Put me in the electric chair. If a parent fails at keeping thier child safe, that is the worst imaginable treason."

Kousei was cut-off from replying when a third party entered. A short Mid-Eastern man, hair dyed blonde and streaked with pink ends, contrastingly fine, conservative, fitted navy silk suit.

He bowed to the judge, "Mme. Nomura...I believe you can assist the good lady Kimura, can you not?"

"It's been a while," Judge Nomura regarded with a professional's day-off warmth, "Kaiba Atem."

Izumi leaned against Junpei as they gazed at the star-less city night sky, tinged purple by countless neon lights.

"This fellow paid your sum of release too?'

"I wish I knew who he was, though," Junpei admitted, "Now both Kouji and Kouichi are under one roof, Kousei's out of society, and..." Junpei looked off as he blushed slightly...damn, this shit was hard to say... "And I'm here with you..."

Izumi, much to his surprise, let go of his hand. He'd begun to think she actually liked his hopeless sappiness...

More sudden was when she straddled his lap, putting her arms-

"Whoa, easy," Junpei chuckled.

"After what you did," she smiled back, speaking in a confessing tone, "This isn't an eighth of what you deserve."

And her kisses melted him to the grass.

Far off Atem Kaiba took a glance at the purplish city sky...before his young brother-in-law chased a soap-sudded cat into the den.

**完**

Ｎｏｔｅ：

The scene with the kid in the park is rather lame, I'm aware. I just needed a non-confrontational way of how Tomoki notices them and that something's wrong all at the same time, in order for him not be excluded.

Yes, Sayuri of Savers and newborn Masaru. Hey, Junpei needed an adult (who would understand) to be present with him.


End file.
